Car dumper



w Sept. 15, 192s.

G. N. slMPsoN CAR BUMPER Filed neo. 22, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet l Geofge jf @55m/115072,

Sept 15, |925.

G. N. slMPsoN om BUMPER Sepfr 15, 192s. 1,553,882

G. N. SIMPSON CAR BUMPER Filed Dec. 22. 1924 -4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

@l Y bQ) Hear e 56h/@6072, @@@M/@M Patented sept. '15, 1925.

vUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

, Geenen N, sIMrsoN, or CHICAGO, rumors.

CAR BUMPER.

Application iledecember 22, 1924. Serial No. 757,427.

The invention also relates to that kind ofl car dumper comprising a rotatable cylindrical cage in which the cars to be dumped are suitably supported whilethe cage is rotated thus overturning thev cars and dumping the contents. f

In a multiple car dumper of this kind, especially when the cage is made with any considerable llength for they purpose of accom-` modating a relatively large number of cars at one operation, difficulty has been experienced in connection with the rotating mechanism in order to cause the different parts of the cage to rotate at the saine speed. With the use of long pieces of flexible rope, frequently unequal stretching occurred causing unequal `strains tofbe put on diii'erent parts of the apparatus with the result that perfect operation'was not obtained. f By the use of my invention, these 'objections are overcome.4 i I By the use of my invention, there is also provided means for taking the strains caused bythe rotating mechanism so that such strains are not transmitted to the cage in any y manner except tocause rotation of the same.

Other features kand advantages of my invention will appear more fully as I proceed with my specification.

In that form ofvr device embodying the features of my inventiony shown in the acn companying drawings, Fig. 1 is 'a View in end elevation of a car dumper, Fig. 2-2-2b is a view of the same in top plan, and Fig. 3-3-3" is a view ofthe same in side elevation. Y n

As shown in the drawings, A indicates, in general, a rotatable cage provided with a track section 10 suitably mounted therein'` upon which a plurality of cars 11 are adapted to be run. The cage Ay is suitably strengthened and supported, as forexample, by the longitudinal beams 12, 12 and the cross pieces 14, 14 and the struts a'nd braces 13, 13, in` any suitable manner in order to form a substantially rigidrectangular cage. rIhe cage is provided at intervals with the ring rails 15, 15 each mounted on a pair of supporting rollers 16, 16 so that the entire cage can be rotated. The length of the e11- tire cage A may be made as desired, in order to accommodate as many cars at once as it is intended shall be handled may be made as desired, and as many of these ring rails may be used as is deemed necessary to give the proper support to the cage considering its length and the number and weight of the cars to be contained therein. In practice, a car dumper of the type here illustrated has actually been made and used adapted to contain thirty-five mine cars at one operation.k

I will now describe the details of the mechanism for rotating thecage as it is in these features that my invention lies. The

power means for rotating the cage is preferably mounted above the cage on any suitable support suchr as the I beams 17, 17. Thepower means may be any forni desired and is here shown as comprising a plurality of rhydraulic cylinders provided with pistons therein. It isobvious, however, that any other kind of power means such as a motor or engine may be used. Since the particular construction of the power means forms no part of my present invention,n I have'not described or shown these hydraulic cylinders in detail. It is to be understood, however, that suitable means, of a well known sort, are provided for admitting fluid under pressure into the cylinders to move the pistons as desired. Although I have here shown four such cylinders, as indicated by 18, 19, 20 and 21 respectively, it'is'to be understood that there might be fewer or more of these cylinders than the number shown. As here shown, cylinders 18 and 2O operate in tandem and likewise cylinders 19 and 21 operate in tandem. As shown in the drawings, cylinders 18 and 19 are double acting, whereas cylinders 2O and 21 are single acting, but as stated before, the details of construction of the power cylinders form no part of the present invention and may be varied as desired. Likewise, anylother suitable power means may be used in place of the hydraulic cylinders v In the preferred embodiment of the in- Y at one operay tion. The spacing of the ring rails 15 also vention, the power means .such as the hydraulic cylinders shown, is' mounted near one end of the car dumper. As shown in the drawings, it is near the left hand end as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3. In speaking' of Fig. 2, I mean Figs. 2, 2a and 2b taken together, and likewise in speaking of Fig. 3, I refer t0 Fig. 3, together with Figs. 32L and 3". It is to be understood, however, that between Figs. 2,a and 2l? the cage maybe any length desired. In` other words, to the right ot the hydraulic cylinders,'the cage may be as long as desiredA and as many ringv railsmay be provided as necessaryto give the proper support to the cage. In order to keep the different parts of the cage rotating at the same speed, I provide two heavy I beams 22 and 23 extending 'from the power cylinders tc the right substantially the entire length of the cage. These IV beams are mounted on supporting rollers 24 as shown so that they are adapted to slide lengthwise. The lett hand end of the beam 22 is attached to the piston rod 25 of the cylinder 19 and the beam 23 is likewise attached to the piston rod 26 of the cylinder 18. Oneach side of each ofthe ring` railsvli there is a groove adapted'to accommodate one of the ropes used for rotating the cage. The ropes'lying in thesegrooves are kfastenedto the long I beams 22 and 23 at diferent connecting points at the` different ring The I beams are veryrigid structures very short sections with very little stretch"- ing thereof. The ropes used to rotate' the cage in one direction are fastened to' the I beam 22 and are indicated by the reference numerals 27, 27. Each of these ropes `passes over a sheave 23 and is joined to the I beam 22 as indicated at 29. L1kewise, each ofthe ropes for rotatingthe cage in the oppositedirection, as indicated by 30, is joined to the I beam 23 as indicated at 31; It is to be understood that the I beams 22 and 23 shall be long enough to reach' from the operating cylinders substantially to the end of the cage and that there may be as many ring rails as desired depending upon the length of cage, with as many pairs of ropes at each iingrail, one rope yof each pair being joined tothe I beam 22 and the other Aropeof each pair being joined to the I beam 23. It lwill be seen thatby this construction, sliding et the` `I beam 22 to the left will pull all the ropes .27 to rotate thecageiin one direction `and sliding of the I beam 23 to the left will pull all the ropes 3() to rotate the cage iny cpposite direction. The piston rod 'projecting from the left' hand endof-thecy'linder 1871s suitably joinedtothe piston rod projecting kfrom the right hand lend of the cylinder 20, and likewise the 'piston rod from the left hand jend ofthe cylinde'rlf) is ljoined 2v resaeee to the piston rodr projecting from the right hand kend of the cylinder' 21. In" other words, the cylinders 18 and 2O operate in tandem and likewise the cylinders 19 and 2l.

As here shown, the power means comprising the hydraulic cylinders is not situated at the extreme left hand end ot the cage, but the cage projects some distance beyond to the left. It will be seen that two ring rails l5 lie to the left of the hydraulic cylinders. Each of these ring rails also has en each side of it a groove adapted to accommodate an operating rope. rIwo of these ropes as indicated by 31 and 32 are fastened to the piston 33 in cylinder 21. The rope 3l passes over the sheave 34, thence over the double-sheave 40, and down around the groove on the tar side of the cage (as viewed in Fig; 3). The rope 32 passes around the sheave 35, thence over the doublesheave 42, and likewise down around thefar side of the cage. The ropes 36 and 37 are joinedy to the piston' 38 in the cylinder 20. The rope 37 passes over the sheavef 39, thence over the double-sheave 40 'and then in the groovec on' the near sidelof'tlie cage.

Likewise the rope 36 passes over the sheave 4l', thence over the double-sheave 42 and down around the groove next to the end ring raily on the near side ofthe cage. Power is applied to the cylinders to: move .thel pis suii'iciently tight in order t0 operate prop-y erly.

I have provided means fory taking this tension of the ropes without causing toe much of such lifting strain on the cage. Such means comprises a large sheave 43 slidably mounted near the left hand end of the cage having a rope 44 passing over it with its ends tied to the pistons 38 and 33; The sheave 43 is mounted on a cross vhead 45 slidably mounted in the guides 46 and` a tlurn buckle 47 is provided in order'to adjust the position of Athe sheave 43.A It will i be seen that by moving the slieave 43 to the left, tension maybe put on the rope 44 inl order to counterbalance the tension on the various ropes 27 and 30and thus counteract.

any tendency of these ropes 27 and 30 to lift the vring rails l5 at the left hand end of the cage-,oftv of the supporting rollers 16. As stated beore,- the cage to the right of the operating. cylinders is considerably longer than" tothe lett` and conseqnently the ich iso

maar? v feght of thevarious ringbrailstothe right.

of these cylinders would *cause such a yten-` sion on the rope/s2? and thatthje left hand end of thefcage would be Vin danger of being lifted from `the supporting rollersif f such a sheave 4 3 werenet provided to .takey thetenision. There being moreropes to the right-of the operating cylindersthe strain producedbyy theseropes could not be bal-v anced byI .the .l smaller number of' ropes -tQt-he' left of said cylinders, there being only two ring rails,-asshown,lto theleitofv the powermodifications. (lhangesftherefore;z ink the constructlon 1 and larrangement mayV be :made

v without departing. yfrom the-spirit and scope of the invention Vas'disclosed in the appended claims, in which it is my` intention to claimk all novelty inherent in my invention as broadly as possible art.

What I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is z 1. In a device of the'character described; a rotatable cylindrical cage adapted to hold a plurality of cars to be dumped; a rigid beam slidably mounted and lying arallel with ysaid cage; a plurality of re ativel short ropes wound-about said cage at di ferent places throughout its length and attached to said beam at different points, said ropes being led over sheaves whereby sliding movement of said beam causes a pull on all of said ropes to rotate said cage; and

in View of the prior Y power means for sliding said beam.

2. In a device of the character described; a rotatable cylindrical cage adapted to hold a plurality of cars tobe dumped; a pair of rigid beams slidably mounted and lying parallel to said cage; a plurality Vof relatively short ropes wound abo'ut said cage in one direction at different places throughout its length and attached to one ofsaid beams .at different points, said ropes being 'led over sheaves whereby sliding movement of saidv beam will cause a pull on said ropes to cause rotation of said cage in one direction; a plurality of Vsimilar relatively Ashort ropes wound about said cage in the opposite direction and similarly attached to said other beam whereby sliding movement of saidk other beam will cause rotation of said cage in the opposite direction; and power means for reciprocating said beams oppositely to each other.

3. In a device of thecharacter described;

a rotatable cylindrical cage adapted to hold a plurality of cars to be dumped; a pair of rigid beams slidably mounted and lying parallel to said cage; a plurality kof relatively shortV ropes wound about said Vcage in one direction at different places throughout its length. and attached to one of said beams `at diil'erentpoints; saidv ropes being led over sheaves whereby sliding movement of said beam will ca'use a pull on said ropes to cause rotation of said cage iu one direction; a plurality? of similar relatively short vropes wound. about said cage inthe opposite direc tion and similarly attached to said other beam wherebyv sliding movement of said other beam will cause rctation` of said cage in the opposite direction; power means at `1 led over sheaves whereby sliding movement of said beam will cause a pull on said ropes to cause rotation of said'cage in one direction; a plurality of similar relatively short ropes wound about said cage in the opposite direction and similarly attached to said other beam whereby sliding movement of said other beam will cause rotation of said cage in the opposite direction; power means at one end of said beams for reciprocating the same oppositely to each other; and a flexible connection between said beams at the end where said power means is located; said fiexible means passing over an adjustably mounted sheave.

5. In a device of the character described: a rotatable cylindrical cage adapted to hold axplurality of cars to be dumped; a pair of rigid beams slidably mounted and lying parallel to said cage; a plurality of relatively short ropes wound about said cage in one direction in dilerent places throughout its length and attached to one of said beams; a plurality of similar ropes siniila rly wound about sai-d cage in the opposite direction and attached to the other of said beams; and power means for reciprocating said beams oppositely to each other.

6. In a device of the character described; a rotatable cylindrical cage adapted to hold a plurality of cars to be dumped; a pair of rigid beams slidably mounted and lying parallel to saidcage; a plurality of relatively short ropes wound about said cage in one direction in different places throughout its length and attached to one of said beams; a plurality of similar ropes similarly wound about said cage in the opposite direction and attached to the other of said beams; power means for reciprocating said beams oppositely to each other; and a flexible connection between said beams at one end thereof, said flexible connection passing over a sheave.

7. In a device of the character described; a rotatable cylindrical cage adapted to hold a plurality ot cars to be dumped; a pair oli rigid beams slidably mounted and lying parallel to said cage; a plurality1 ot relatively short ropes Wound about said cage in one direction in different places throughout its length and attached to one of said beams; a plurality of similar ropes similarly wound about said cage in the opposite direc tion and attached to the other of said beams; povfer means for reciprocating said beams oppositely to each other; and a flexible connection between said beams at one end thereof, Said flexible connection passing over 20 an adjustably mounted sheave.

S. In a device of the character described;

a rotatable cylindrical cage adapted to hold a plurality ot cars to be dumped; a pair ot rigid beams slidably mounted and lying parallel to said cage; a plurality ot relatively short ropes Wound about said cage in one direction in differentplaces throughout its length and attached to one ol said beams; a plurality of similar ropes similarly Wound about said cage in the opposite direction and attached to the other of said beams; power means attached to said beams at one end thereof for reciprocating;v the same oppositely to each otherya rope attached to said power means and Wound about the adjacent end of said cage in one direction; and another rope attached to said power means and Wound about the adjacent end of said cage in the opposite direction.

lVitness my hand and seal this 29th day of November, A. D. 1924.

GEORGE N. SIMPSON. [L s l 

